split ears on a highland cow

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i recently bought a beautiful 3 month old highland heifer. she is white and such a doll. however she has split ears. instead of the usual oblong ears, her's are both split, sort of a "v". they are not because of injury or anything like that. i've looked at the website on highland's and they don't mention this as a trait of the highlands. does anyone know if this is normal for highlands? thanks, laura

-- laura cavallari (ladygoat13@aol.com), March 22, 2001

Answers

My Highland's have split ears also.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), March 22, 2001.

I have raised highlands for 13 years. Do you mean they are literally split in half? I have never seen this. But, you can bet I will take a closer look when I go out to check them today. Jean

-- Jean in Ky. (dandrea@duo-county.com), March 22, 2001.

yes, they are split like a :v:. not round or oblong. this wasn't caused by anything like injury or whatever. she was born this way. in all the literature i read about highlands before i bought her, i never read any mention of this characteristic. even the highland site doesn't say anything about a difference in this breeds ears. would like to know if this is common. thanks, laura cavallari

-- laura cavallari (ladygoat13@aol.com), March 22, 2001.

I checked when I went out to do chores. None of ours have split ears, unless I am not understanding you correctly. It sounds to me like you are saying they are split in half, in v formation. For sure I don't have that. Do you have a scanner? I'd love to see a picture of it. Jean

-- Jean in Ky. (dandrea@duo-county.com), March 22, 2001.

sorry, i don't have a scanner. don't remember seeing any of the herds ears like this where i got her, although i wasn't really looking not realizing, probably due to their shaggy hair covering their ears. nothing wrong with split ears, i think it's kinda interesting. but just wondered why the highland website never mentioned this difference in highland cows. will keep trying to get hold of the place i got her and see what they say. this herd was passed on through the family.will be interesting to see if her mother had the same ears. thanks for your help, laura

-- laura cavallari (ladygoat13@aol.com), March 23, 2001.


Keep my address if you like, would help you out in any way if the need arises. We have raised them a long time and have had some experience with different problems. We really love them. They make beautiful rugs when you butcher a steer. I mean gorgeous. Jean

-- Jean in Ky. (dandrea@duo-county.com), March 23, 2001.

I wonder if your calf has a condition called crop ear. I have only seen it once, but I believe it comes in a variety of ear shapes. I also remember that there has been some controversy over crop ear with Highland breeders. I think that it is a disqualifing fault in Scotland. I think. But I know the people that I have heard talking about it, don't feel it is all that big a deal. Also, many believe that most Highlands today carry the gene but it "crops up" only sometimes. My husband is currently tanning a beautiful, black Highland hide that was butchered this winter, It looks like a bear!

-- Darcy in NW WA (gatecity@tenforward.com), March 23, 2001.

our cows sometimes get split ears when they have ear tags that have been rippedout hhope that helps

-- drew (ata1hunt@aol.com), August 26, 2001.

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